Games Day 2013 happened over the weekend and while the event wasn't as great as it could be (more on that later in the week...) there was still a lot of shiny models to see and things to try out. Right now you can view a mass of images I grabbed from the event over on Facebook but check out some more below that look pretty ace...

First up as you might imagine the Dark Elves featured prominently in the Designer's Studio area of Games Day. There were a lot of folks on hand talking about the miniatures and how they had been designed. As I've mentioned on the forums I really like practically all the miniatures from the new release.

I also found out some interesting subtle things that exist between High Elves and Dark Elves. Where High Elves have double bladed weapons the Dark Elves have single bladed ones. As well as that where High Elf bows are vertical their war machines are horizontal and vice versa for the Dark Elves. I thought that was a neat little touch that showed off this similarity in background between the forces.

As well as Dark Elves Space Marines also featured heavily with a massive board showing off the Dropsite Massacre (see Facebook for some full battlefield pictures). As well as that they showed off Space Marines of all different colours and creeds.

This also led to us having a chat with the designers behind the special edition codices for Warhammer 40,000. I had met one of the designers before at a Mantic Open Day (sorry your name escapes me!) and she talked at length about the effort and work they put in to making them special pieces. I have to say having held one in my hands and flicked through it, it's certainly worth the extra money...well, maybe not seventy pounds worth it but I could see them being an instant buy if they were just a little more expensive.

This was also one of the pieces that the Designers showed off. Some of the eagle eyed amongst you on Facebook noticed that it said Heroquest on the box! This was there interpretation of what it 'could' be like if Games Workshop went back and made it with full 3D terrain and all the trimmings.

I also got my hands on Warhammer 40,000 Carnage. This is an iDevice and Android game which is more or less a straight arcade brawler in a platforming style. With one hand you make your Space Marine run forwards and then with the other you tap the various attacks. It was quite fun and even though it was a very, very early build it has some potential. Like 'Kill Team' I think it could be a sleeper hit.

If you're technically minded and like the folk who live on the surface of Mars then Forge World had some very nice offerings. My friend (the one who took these images!) is obsessed with them too so no wonder they appeared in his selection of images from the day. I can't fault him either, they are very nice looking.

And now it's time we had a look at some of the entries for Golden Daemon and Armies on Parade...

As you can see there was a lot of nice miniature artwork going on once again. Where Armies on Parade and Golden Daemon was situated though felt a little out of the way (it was hidden about four levels down in a basketball court!) and it was all a bit cramped down there.

Two of my favourites from the day are above including the Dreadfleet Diorama (it should have won in my opinion!) and that amazing Grey Knight Squad with some nice additional levels of technicolour.

Winning a Demon isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. If you include bronze and silver, there’s hundreds of the little bastards distributed each year around the world, and the level of painting isn’t always as high as all that…

European open contests are usually more difficult.

If you have one to four years to put into practicing for it and if you like GW miniatures, you too can win the famed golden statuette… it’s just a matter of technique. Plenty of friends (and some on this website, I’m sure) have done it; multiple times even.

I saw Lloyd briefly but no @warzan I expect he was dragged out screaming obscenties about the Khorne Lord of Skulls. Which incidentally is as bad as he makes it out to be, even with its heavy metal paint job.

It wasn’t that long ago that when BoW put up an article of for example some new WWII Russian figures, people would comment “they would make good Imperial Guard”. Now we have pictures from games day and within a few posts we have moved on to FoW and DZC.
The dynamic of the site has really broadened in a short space of time.

I think its a sign of the times. BoW has done a great job of highlighting awesome alternatives to all GW games and lets face it, GW has done nothing to entice old time players to come back or existing old timers to stay.

I really dont know who GWs target audience is anymore, perhaps before GD I would have said kids in say the 10 to 14 bracket but a games day without gaming leans more towards adult collectors and painters. As I’ve said in previous posts, this years GD had a more mature feel to it with a huge emphasis on forgeworld, I guess that hints at where the big money is being spent. I hang out a lot on a few painting forums and almost all the feedback from the painters and modellers was positive. Suggests a swing from the gaming… Read more »

Cant waite to hear waht the guys have to say about Gamesday. Its a sign of the times I hope, that were talking about a variety of games on BoW. As an aside I picked up 12 original metal Plague Marines for 20 Euro last night! Not pounds, much cheaper than 20 Sterling. Theres lots of deals around. I even saw the original metal Chaos Dred with the skull and the pincer…he actually gave it away! My point is theres a lot of guys my way dumping collectors pieces for nothing and Im wondering if its a sign that GW… Read more »

Some great models on show. I have to say it should be renamed to SalesDay. Queue up to go look at what you can buy then queue up to pay…£35 for that…no thanks, I will just come here for the pictures for free.